In an attempt to keep revenue here and out of the pockets of other counties, the county commission passed two resolutions Thursday night, asking the state General Assembly to change state law to ensure residents actually pay the wheel tax in their county of residence.

“We’re not asking people to pay higher taxes,” Commissioner Gary Farley said. “We’re just asking people to pay their fair share.”

State law requires drivers to register their cars in their county of residence, but some counties allow anyone to renew car tags and the state has no law to enforce the residency requirement.

Commissioner Jeff Jordan noted if the resolutions resulted in only a 5 percent increase in car registration, it would mean another $450,000 in the county’s coffers.

One resolution to prevent residents from crossing county lines would have required motorists statewide to present a valid driver’s license, when renewing car tags, to be photocopied and stored at the county clerk’s office.

“That would create a tremendous problem to have to make a copy of every license that come through,” Commissioner Ron Williams said, adding clerk’s around the state would have to buy more copy machines, find storage space for the copies and force lines for renewals out the door.

County Clerk Georgia Lynch agreed, saying it “would create a problem with lines and our storage is limited.”

These concerns prompted the commission to delete language from the request requiring copies be made and stored by county clerks. The commission passed the resolution in a unanimous vote.

The other resolution asks the legislature to give Rutherford County permission to change its own law to allow wheel tax officers to enforce registration on state-maintained roads. The resolution passed in a unanimous vote.

In fiscal year 2008, the county collected $8,908,693 from the wheel tax. Rutherford County charges $50 for tags, with 30 percent going to the county’s general fund, 30 percent to the highway fund and 40 percent to education, which is split with Murfreesboro, Rutherford County Finance Director Lisa Nolen said.

Nolen said there is no way to determine exactly how much money is making its way out of the county.

The commission’s Steering Committee also has asked the Rutherford County Board of Education for an opinion on whether the school system can have parents verify where their car is licensed when registering students.

Other Commission Business

- Approved three proposals to revise the county’s health care plan for retired county employees.

- Approved a contract with PB Americas, Inc. for the Regional Planning Commission’s comprehensive land-use plan.

Public Hearings

- Unanimously passed in a voice vote a zoning resolution amendment to Article 13.04.B.1 for detached accessory structures and uses to clarify the intent to the resolution.

When passed the article was meant to cover all detached outbuildings but only listed carports, garages and sheds.

“We’re not changing the way we enforce this,” Demosi said, adding the change only clarifies that all accessory structures are covered, not just those originally listed.

- Unanimously approved in a voice vote and a 20-1 vote, respectively, with conditions set by the Regional Planning Commission a rezoning and conditional-use permit requests by Jeffery Turner, at 3167 and 3185 Franklin Rd., from residential to services for insurance and professional office space.

Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.